Bullpen going to bigger lineup

Russell, at 6-8, gets call

Loaiza to DL

It is clear the basketball scheme has changed for the White Sox bullpen.

"I'll be the center," said 6-foot-8-inch Adam Russell, who was recalled from Triple-A Charlotte on Friday when Esteban Loaiza was put on the disabled list.

Matt Thornton, who is taller than his listed 6-5, will have to be moved to power forward and 6-5 Boone Logan or 6-4 Nick Masset to small forward, at least as long as 6-10 Andrew Sisco remains in the minors.

Russell, once a top prospect as a starter, marks his second stay this season with the Sox as a middle reliever. He did not appear in his first three-day trip.

Loaiza was placed on the 15-day DL with shoulder inflammation, although he will continue to throw as he tries to improve his velocity and stamina. He is scheduled to start on a rehab assignment for Charlotte on Monday and next Saturday.

He had allowed one run in three appearances for the Sox after signing June 4 following his release from the Dodgers.

"We have to stretch him a little bit more," manager Ozzie Guillen said. "I don't want another body, I want a guy who can get people out. We cannot use him the way we want to and we're not in a situation now where we can stretch innings. That's why we made the decision."

Pitching coach Don Cooper said Loaiza must elevate his game.

"We have to get him ready to perform closer to the level we have seen in the past," he said. "We're not expecting him to do what he did [in 2003 as an All-Star] but we are expecting him to be a guy with savvy, experience and touch-and-feel pitch-ability to fill that [long-relief] role. Right now it's not quite right."

Russell can be a long man but has been used for one and two innings at a time at Charlotte, where he was 3-0 with a 1.74 ERA and 24 strikeouts in 21 appearances.

He flew to Chicago from Norfolk, Va., late Thursday night after being informed of the promotion by manager Marc Bombard.

"I was doing the crossword in USA Today and the manager is a big fan of that, too," Russell said. "He came in and he's like, 'Have you ever done any Chicago papers?' and I said no, and he says, 'Well, you're about to.'"